Improvement in sewing-machines



. I v 10 Sheets-Shee t 3.

McKAY & MATHIES.-

Sewing Machine.

No. 36,163. I Batented Aug. 12. 1862 1 "Sh i-sh i4. McKAYGL MATHIES.

Sewing Machine; No; 36,163. Patented Aug. 12. 1862.

' hvvnynig 4m mi I0 Sheets-Sheet 5.

McKAY & MATHIES.

Sewing Machine.

- V Patented Aug. 12. 1862 Junta/ van- I507,

mmsu-Mormwr 10 Sheets-Sheet 6. :McKAY 8g MATHIES.

Sewing Machine.

Patenteq Aug. 12. 1862.

I0 Sheets-Sheet 7.

, McKAY & MATHIE S I "Sewing Machine.

Patented Aug. 12. 1862. v

" nvvzxv ran Wnwssszs I 10 S heets Sheet 8. McKAY & MATHIES.

.Sewing Machine. I

No. 36,163. v Patented Aug. 12. 1862.

it mww I0 Sheets-Sheet 9 McKAY & MATHlES Sewing Machine.

Patented Aug. 12. 1862.

VIIIIIIII4///IV/AIF wlnvssgug UNIT STATEs" uonnoN MvKAvANn non'r. H. MATHms, or nos'ron, MAss'Ao nsETirsj IMPROVEMENT IN sizwl'NQ-MACI-iiNEs} tpm'iiirnlinh forming part of Letters Patent No. 36,163.,dliitnd A ugust lQ, 13 2-.

To all mama it may concern:

' Be it known that we, GORDON MGKAY and ltosnn'r H. M AIHl as, both of the city of Bosuseful Improvements in the Sewing Mechanton, in the county of Suffolk, in the State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and ism patentedto Lyman R. Blake, July 6, 1858;

' and we do hereby declare that the following, taken in connection with the drawings whichaccompany and form part of this specification,

' is a description of our inventionsufiicient -to enablethose skilled in the art to practice it.

This invention comprises improvements upon the mechanism designed by Lyman R.' Blake for sewing the soles of boots and shoes,-

which mechanism was patented to said Blake in the ITnited'States, July 6, 1858, and, withsome modifications by him, in the'United K'iugdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the

Channel islands, and the isle of Man, May 3, 1 859, the latter of which patents is numbered 1,111, and was'sealed June 14, 1859. Some of' said improvements are also advantageously applicable to other sewing mechanisms than that mentioned, chiefly to thosecm'ployed for manufacturing purposes rather than to family machines, so called. In Blakes aforesaid English patent the seam-was made to conform to curves and angles by turning the feeding- -inst!.'umcnt and the needle, the horn or sup port being stationary, as in the American pat ent referred to; but for various reasons-this.

has been i'ouml'inconvenient and objectionable to some extent; and, as in sewing the soles to boots and shoes the seam cannot be made to conlbrm' sufii'ciently throughout its whole. extent to the curvatures thereof,'by twisting and .turning the worku-uder the needle and upon its bed or support, which is termed the arm or horn, said support has been made, by one part of our invention, capable of rotation on or around the prolongation of the axial line of the needle, carrying with it the shoe or boot, .which'fwe'herein term the stock, forthe I purpose of making the seam conform to the,

curvatures of the stock.- Said horn also carries with it We thread spool'or bobbin and thetcnsion device, and, when desired, means for heating, the horn.

v Another part of our invention consists in so combining with a horn that rotates the whirl that is supported by the salient end of such ahoi-n that'said whirl i's'not' affected relatively;

v'ary therein.

' fore ;prac'ticed, relativelytbi the movement of the horn. 1

Another part of our invention consists 'in making the position of the fulcrum of the leverwhich operates the needle adjustable b'y -ma-- nipulation ofthe operator, so as to change the g amount of the stroke ofthe needle.. Another partof our invention consists in automatically adjusting the aniount' or, the

thread drawn up by the needle to the thick.-

ness of the stock, and-in automatically 'ing the amount of the thread s'o-drawn up'by the variation in the thickness of the stock at or near the plaeewherethe stitch-'is making, so thahmore or less thread .is drawn up by the needle at eachstroke, oonformably with the I thickness of the stock at said place, thick stock requiring more length of thread, and 'conse quently more stroke of the'needle, than thin stock. \Vhen the stroke of the needle is once :uitoniatieally adjusted to stock of uniform l, automatically lu sewing soles, the thickness around them, where the seam passes through,

caused by the puckeriug of the thickness, it will not thereafter is very unehen, upper at the heel and toe, and bylasting in the i(punter-stiffening, also, by s'camsin the upper, and by the use of half and tap soles, welts, 8:0. The length of thread required to be taken from the spoolat each stroke of the needle to form a chain-stitch is equal to three times the length of the stitch added .to'twicc the thickness of the stock, witha slight amount added to this sum for-length of thread taken up .in doubling one loop around the next. 'If' the stroke of the needle does not draw sa'id length of thread from the spool for each stitch, the thread will draw through, or'will, as it is termed, render through, the book of the needle, tending to fray the thread and to cause it to break; and ifinore than the requisite amount of thread is'drawn. oif from"t he spool for each stitch, there sult is that the stitches cannot be drawn up tightly, and the'woi'k-will be loose, or not well closed together. Another part offenr invention consists in automatically lifting the-presserefoot from the stock, no matter what its thickness'relati'v'ely: to the surface of the stock, and not,"as' hereto..

surface of on amma stock issnpported', This'lifting of the resser-foot has two functions-one to.

prevent the thread from being clamped or bound between the topof the "horn; and the the stock which mayhave embedded on the horn-- by the pressure" oi, the presser and' the puncturing actionof the needle may clear the horn and offer no impediment to the feedingaction,

and so that stock of increasing thickness may be fed forward under the presser without bindl a ing; The lift which is given to free the thread 1 presser-foo t. This adjustal'iility of the ne ofv the presser-foot desirable, because where the as the strain upon the needle increas named.

may be made enough to clear the stoo'k from contact with the horn in feeding; (i -separate lifts can be given to. the pressor by thelca m which 1 operates it for each of. the "purposes This part of our invention comprises,- also a method of varying the amount of the lifts which is given to the presse'r-ioot'byitheeonu stant throw of the ea1n, all of' which throwmay berendered effective or not in the lift of the stock iscompressihle more lii' lm le dto,

i'ree the'throad' from pinch than x ere it is ,7liar-(landunyieldinm- 9 1,,

Another part of our invention eonsists in transmitting to the presser"the 'resit ia if} to oyth'at V gndraw': mg up the thread and in;tighteningthe stitch,

the upward movement of V thdrieed'lc tending to ,draw, the stock from the, tom to;

ward the needle, this-tcmlency is pp'osed by I the increasing resistance of the 1'): QSQlZ' l The resistance of all othcnpre rs'wliieh, have a.

1xiovementtoward and i'rom tlle summit of the. Y

stock is obiainedby springs orliy weighls,-so

that when the limit of the resistance of said springs or weights is exceeded by the'u'pward pull oi "the needle the presser yields and the stock is, phlled toward theneedle, which move-T ment prevents tightening oi' the stitehesff in some sewing mechanisms, to ol'itain a solid resistance to the pull of the needle upon the thread, the needle has been made to operate.

from beneath the stock-support, so as to pull gainst said supper-tintighteni' I but as'with the horn employed for the" purpose of sewing soles, it is manifest -thz' fthe sewing mechanisi'ne v d,iwe havecombineih'as afo a the ac oi oftheneedle and-thepresse 1 rt of our invcntionconsists in so 'Anotl I H arranging aiid' combining with the needletthe slide that operates to eoverand'uucover the eye or'liook thereof, that each shalln-iovefto gcther without ir aryingtheir posit-ions relativeto eaclrotlicr'throughout the greater part of' the stroke, cxceptat ornear the termination o'fv the upstroke, when the slide-has an increased gvelocity and range of motion imparted to it to uncover the eye or hook ofthe needle" before ng the stitches}:

diminishing as the stroke of the needle is in- V creased or diminished, and without any attention or manipulation onthe'part ofthe op a I v the arrangement and combination oi'the feeder and presser, when these] instruments are sep arate from each'othe'r i'nflthei r functions and times of movement, directly in front of and in proxin'iity to the hook oi" the/needle in; the plainein which the feeder vibrates and above; the stock to he sewe( 1,"so as to operate on the upper'surface'thereof. 'lhispart of our-in 'ventio'n also comprises such an arran cement and manner" of comhination'ol' the separate feeder and prcsser that the lengtl'i or eflective amount of theiecdingmovement of thei'eeder shallbe dependent upc'ii'and shall be controlled-by the distaneefirom the needle which adjustable in the'planeofthe vibra ons oft-he l'eQlerfor the-purpose or" ula'ting the feed o length er thestitclies in deby the mecham ism; and our inventioi' 'also consists in various parts, and in combi n'ati ons "and arrangements the presser'is set,-thisiinstrummit hieg nmdfe,

oi parts, substantiallysuidl as are herein lieseri bed, whereby the operation of sewi ng' soles to and upon lioots'and shoesils facilitated.

, Oi the drawings, tllln-e are tensheeis. On

Sheet Jth'ereis a View in pers :)ect'i'\-'c of a ma-v chine embodying UHY I IIVOUt-iOII. The other sheets exhibit in plan, section, and elevation, working' drawings ot'ka machine embodying our inventionJma'de ao'cording'to;the scales mentioned on-each sheet, and including also sundry.-modificatio'ns orchanges o'i'parts, si1ni-- larietters referring to similarparts on :allji'he sheets'. ,.=$heet= 2'-shows in front elevation a machine arranged to bcput'in motion by, f power/i of the machine, thetop plate," 1/, which is,

' shown indotted lines,-and boil g represented 1 said sheet, also showsga section thro'ughthe=head,,showingQ as removed to show parts beneath.

the mainor eamshaft' and the parts thereom The balance. of the sheets are filled with v the details ofrthe machine, except Sheet'fi, which,

shows certain modifications iotelse hredetailed and certaindiagrams of motion, to be 4 hereinafter alluded to.

The instruments which are imn iediately operatiye in conjunetionwith the horn iir forming a seaniare theneedle, the slide,the feeder,

Another part of our-"invention consistsin I Sheet 3 shows a side eleyationoli i 2 the same; and Sheet 4, a plan of'thc fihead highest stroke. I

The machine illustrated and embodying this the :presser, and the whirl; and their movethe shalt 1;,with which it rotates. The horn c ments with relation to each other are very I nearly as follows; All of these instruments, bei'ng operated from the rotation of the cam-shaft,

may-have their times of movement and the relation of the movements of the instruments to each other referable to some part of the whole at its lowest stroke, and at No. 10 the eccen-.

tric is at its downthrow and the needle at its invention. is adapted to sew stock varying in thickness from tln-ee-sixteenths to five-eighths inches-and with stitches varying in length fromone to two eighths inches. W hen sewing the thickest stock, the needle commences to rise just before line No. 4, and when sewing the thinnest stock just after N o. 5.

The highest point of stroke is reached at about No. 10, and the end of the downstroke is reached, both with "thick and thin stock, at No; 20. The, nresser lifts to release the thread from pinch, beginning at No. 25 and ending at No. 5, and rests there attheheight to which it is lifted till the needle gets near the top of its stroke, when it again lifts at about No. It), so

as to l t-the feeder act freely; onthc presser havin lifted, as before described, can be raised gradually to the lift'requircd at No.10 for the operation of the feeder, and in either case the presser drops or is brought down upon the -stock,so'as to pinch or clamp it to the horn at or before No. 13, where-it remains till again lifted at No. 2-}, as descmilu-d. 'lhe, fi-eder' moves forward or gives its feeding motion from about Nos. 10$ to l l; and returns in from Nos. 124- 120-134, where it remains, resting on the -ircsser-foot, away from the slock'till No.

16, when it is forced downward into the stock and punctures .i t, ready for the. next feed move:

lnent'which takes place in parts of the next rotation from'Nos. Hit-tolli, asbelorestated.

The movement of the .looper to throw the I thread into the eye of the needle. begins at No.

18 and terminates at No. 4, from which it begins its return movement, which is terminated at No. .10. The slide. moves with theneedle throughout parts of its stroke, covering its hook onthe upstroke and leaving it uncovered on the downstroke and resting on the surface of the stock, as will be. more fully dewhiclr meshes into the whirl;

has a whirl, [1, constructed as shown in detail on Sheet 6, which is rotated by the bevel-pi nion shait i an'd this shaft Lis rotated from thehorizontal shaft j ".inihe arm 1 the shaftj being rotated by the yeriiea'll shaft I.:,\\'hieh is made to rotate in ihc' center of I; by a movement connnnnicated from the cam-shaft n: bymeaus hereimyl'ler described. 'lhenumber of teeth in'the bevel-gear on Ir. and in the pinion onj, into which said gear nneshcsfnmst have the same proportion to each other that the teeth on the whirl have to the teeth of the pinion The arrangement of gearing. as shown in detail, Sheetii,

holds the whirl still with relation to the needle while the horn is rotated with b, the axial line of which and of the whirl are in,the prolongation of the axial line of the needle, it being understood that the bevelgears connecting f and j have the same number of teeth, and simply change the direction pf rotation. it will be seen that rotary movement can be iven in v eitherdirection to the whirl through the shaft Ic,while the horn is moved bv the operator in either direction, and that the rotation and the rest or position of the whirl relative to the needle or any fixed part of the machine is en-- tirely free from connection with the movement of the horn,th0ugh inclosed and supported by the horn. The thread-spool or bobbin hi is provided with a tension device (detailed on Sheet is) and is supportml on the thread passing over a spi.-ing,' n, and leader-pulley o intoa threml-channel formed in the horn to and through the small side hole, 1.", formed in the whirl h. I 'lhe function of the spring n is to yield andgive a littleihreml to the first pull ofthe needle, so as to cause the bobbin to start with less of ajerk in giving oifthe amount of thread needed at each stroke of the needle.

At the lower front part of the machine a ireadle, c, is fixed on'a rocker-shaft, 4 which is supported in suitable hearings in the frame. This treadlc, worked by foot, may be made to rotate the cam-shaft w; or it may bemai'le, as shown in, the drawings, to operate binder-puileys 'u,to control the operation 'of lhebelt 'l on the driving-wheel 1r.

r isan arm on rocker-shalt q; a, a link from r to a roclwrarin, 1 which is attawhed to and vibrates on the upper rear part of the frame, and which carries the twoloosebindcnpulleys a, one of each of which operates oironepart of the. belt 1', which is shown passing overt-he flywheel w on the eanrshaft :r, the beltbeing driven from a pulley beneath the floor. (Not shown.) When power is not accessible, the

pulleys a are dispensed with, and a link eonneets a crank-pin in m with the stud in' the This - l1, downward whenfl'reei fromoth grip or hold the presser, israised.

: down; also, that the lift,

which, respectively, operate the feeder e,.the 1' if Ind in the "line of theleeding vibrations of the deeder. The presser g is so connected witlrthe pressei-- l)ar Id that it can .be adjusted thereon by the operator nearer to or farther from the needle,so that theinclined surfaceof the press=- 'ernearest the needle shall operate on thef'eeder in its vibrationsfto cause it to feed the stock u'for short or long, stitches, maybe desired} The presser is arrangedso that it is lifted from the St0Gk,'iS let fall thereon, is-pressed there-c upon, and'is kept flOlIl risingrelatively to'the times, as described hereinafter-l.

fulcrum of the'needle-leverall at the proper- Referring to Sheet 'l for' one of-vthe devices or combinations byfwhieh the .presser is lifted r and let fall, and also kept from falling, it will be seen that the resser-bar l1 passes throughoneend'p'f the lever Iq,-the opening in said 'le ver being large enough to let it vibrate without eolningintoeontact with 11" Thesprin'g o i I l I o ,aetlng aga nst 10 and a shoulder of ,h, iorces er controlling The frame-pieceff; surrounds b and is connectedto It-f byrthe lihkyv'fiso-that f is raisedandil'owered-by the, vibrations ofk,

Within the frame f are twopieees, a", pivoted thereto,fitting-the Presser-bar, but not extend- 1 ing cntirely arom d it. The inner end of the frame projects beyondthepivot,by which it is l eonnectcdto the link vflso that it.will, up"on ris jngjwi'th k i mpinge againstthe screw el -theswing the frame uponof spring b",-and thus,

operation of which is to the link against the pull by bringing the frame more nearly level, a1- ]owsvthe pieces a, to open, releasii'1g It from the grip or hold of the pieces a", through-which It will be evident fronrthe arrangement of the partsjust described thatupward-vibration of that end of]! which is around 'lzf'will, in conspring b", inclin'eif" and bring the .piecesatinto gripping contact with. h, andlthat in the nection with the action of I regularv operation 01' the machine the grip can be sooner or later released by-adj listing. 1 the position ofthe screw it; also,'that the operator can let. theresser fall upon thestock when adjusting it-whenever desirable by liftingthe end off, which projects at thefrontofthe machine.

It will be evident, 3V1 described relating to; ,th'epi'esser,-that' l is llfted from a variable base-line, which 'isthe surface of the stock on wliiehit rests when V .ol'the presser is con stant so-long'as the screw n remains unchangedl Otherdevices which lift the :prcs ser in other sewing ni'echanisnis raise it from a positive base-line'to afixed height, so: thatwhere the stock operated upon, isthick, :1' he eflective lift.

of the presser from ,the upper surface of the stock is lessened.

th},tl1e devices just the presser is" vicesjust described for. lifting the 'presserfroxn, a-variable base-line, and for letting itfiescend upon the surface of the stock, someo'f arc-shown in the drawingg-and: bade Modifications belemployed of 1 hlch QyWhiChytiS i m de'te vibrate'aby means'of the' lever.k',flworked by the 'p'resser-ca'm d'..-. The nut iflhas aratchet, a

wheel formed ,on'fits periphery, arpon which '1,

the; pawl L operates at certaintimes topievent'";

the nutifroin' rotating in that directioln'lwhieh wouldlower the presser footand bar, the pawl '1 being pivoted to jf, The bent lever m is also pivotedto'j, so that whenfj is raised to a er-- tainfixed height the short-arm of 'm strikesagainst'ascrew; it, 'which-isadjnstable in the; plate y over the said short ,arrn, and w further upward niqvem'e'nt'of k'causes m',to trip .the'

pawl. 'Thentthe spring "0 force'sthevipresser down upon ill-restock, rotatingthe-nntt in so i doing,- while thepawl is. kept clear from con-- tact with the ratchet-teeth.- As k afterward nioves downward, rotating the nutiin tl1e;di--

rectioir' opposite tofthat inwhicjr it was ro-- tated by the fall of the presser, ori'n the directionjjn whichthejratchetwheel can turn under thepawl, the; short arm ofm .is released T from contact withlh, an'd aspring 1, which teet h oft the ratchet.

therewithconneeted, renders downward nlc-- tion of the presser impossible except w the pawl is 'thrown out of gear with the ratehetby "the action of n, asdescr-ibelhso as'to let--the 1 'presser'drop Lupon the-stock, rotating the 1mm;

in so doing, or except when the operator pulls actsagainst the pawl, throws against the the pawl out of gearby operating the long arm? of m, lii'el1 is fashioned into ahandlelbrthat "purpose. l

" t'willfalso besecn that the presser rests upon tlie stock with the pressureof spring ai direetl'yafterthe pawl is tripped, and that it remains on'zthestock, -in frontof the needle,

compressing it, till lifted bythe cam d just'as 1-1 the needle'begins to rise, also, thatathe press er-toot cannot 'be moved downwagdexceptby the pawl out of gear, unlessfby turn throwing v iug the cam-shaft backward, which-is not con; telnplated inthisspecification, i It will also be plain thatthe presscriis eon stantly lifted and lets falLupon thejstock, "so

that where'the stock, asxit isjmade to mo ve under the presser, varies projection, like that shown at p ,'wil;l ,""-when' on tlieistock, be.

horn. ,1his varying position of p islmad e operative'in theautomatic eh ang of the stroke j The proportion of the lift of the pressenbar to'-the pitch of thescrewalu'ea'dsis such'that V stationary at various heights from theisnrface of the bed or v in thickness;

' when the presser falls the nut is rotated about of the presser may be somewhat objectionable.

To avoid these objections the 'modifica ions I connected with the presser-foot (shown in the, partial plan and elevation on Sheet 5) may be substituted for the devices before described] The pawl which works in the teeth of theratchet-wheel formed on nut z" is in this ease made part of the lever m, or, rather, min this construction fprms' the pawl which the spring d" tends to 'keep constantly in gear with the' teeth of the ratchet.

The fulcrum ba'r i isv provlded with an arm, soiarran'ged and adjusted that its salient end projects so as to act on m during the terminal portion of the upward movement of the -ii1lcrum-bar. The effeet of this is that the presseris raised and I, lowered by the positive movement given by the presser-cam (1, instead of being dropped from theheight of the whole lift given, as when the last part of the upward movement of the presser-le'ver k operated to liberate the nut from the-retaining action of the pawl. The presser,,-therefore, will tend to be lowered at each stroke to. the point from which it was raised unless stoek'of' increased thickness has been fed beneath the place where the presserfoot']ac ts',fiin whieh case the presser will rest on the stock, and the nut will. be turned under, the lever m in that direction, permitted by the'form of the ratchet-teeth; but if, while the presser has been lifted from the stock, thinner stock has been fed beneath it, the action of the presscr-cam will lower the presser to the'p'a'wl is tripped, the spring o will cause I ness, of the stock where last and where now the point from which it started,"and then ,when

thepresser to fall upon the stock, which fall will be just the difference between the thickrested upon. Ifthc stock is-of uniform thickness the pawl will return against the ratchetlooth with which it was in contact "before being tripped by .e"; but if the stock is increased in thickness the presser will be lowered till it checked by resting thereupon, and the presser-bar lever continuing to carry down the nut is thereby turned in the direction permitted by the pawl and ratchet-teeth, and wvhen' the pawl is tripped by c" it will return again into contact with the tooth which it left. The arm 0'' could be used to operate under the front projecting partoff in the presser mechanism shown in Sheet 1., in which case the-screug'n would be dispensed with, and the presser would operate without the fall' from the fullheight to which it is raised, as in the case of the manner of operating thc'screw-andnu't device just described. The lift of the presser-foot may be considered as divided into two parts, the first of which is to relieve the stock from pinch on the horn, so as to let the thread draw freely between the lower side of v the stock and the upper surface of the horn during the rise of the needle. The movement glven to the presser-lever Is is constant; but it is desirable to make the first part ofthelift *of the presser va riab'le, because a lift that would be sufficient with thin unyielding stock would not suffice where the stock is thick, yielding, and elastic, This provision we have made by giving an excess of motion during the first lift to the prcsser-lever, and by renderlng more or less of the motion operative on the presser, according to circumstances. mechanism we employ to effect this end is shown in Sheets Land The presser-lever k is pivoted to a fulcrum-bar, f, which is so arranged that it may have any amount of vertical movement within a limited range, the amount being governed by the nut g" in Sheet 5 and by the screw it in Sheet 1. It will be obvious that if play or movement is permitted to the fulcrum, that amount increased by r the leverage is lost to the presser.

By inspection of the drawings referred to it will be seen that the fulcrumbar f" may be rendered immovable by operating 9' or h, so as to draw the shoulderon against the under sidewif the' -plate y. T e fulcrum being then immovable, the'whole of thethrow of the cam (1 will be imparted to the \lever It, andv consequently to the presser. The presser-foot canbe lifted by hand to place stockunder it,

or to remove stock fromthe horn, means for this beingshown in the link q, which is connected to In, and in'ihe hand-lever a. The feeder is connected with the piesser-bar by a link, x, which is slotted at its upper end to permit vertical. movements. A pin, t, is fixed .to rise and fall, as well as to move horizon-' tally. The pin 0: by which the links a take hold upon the feeder, forms the hinge iupon which the feeder swings on the link s in drawing up on thefront inclined surface of the presscr in the back ward movement of the feeder, and also in its lbrward movcmenhtill the projection in on s strikes a shoulder of the feeder, making a kind of stop hinge, by which the link x and feeder are madc rigid in the feedi ng movement but capable ofbcndingin the backward movcmci'it of the feeder, so that the point of the feeder can be raised on the inclined front of the presscr out of the stock.

The small spiral spring :11 operates to keep the point of the feeder close upoirthe front in;

cl'i ncd su rfacc of the presscr, so that the fccdcrpoint shall puncture the stock close to the presser. Said spring also acts to draw-the 7 point of the feeder back on its return-stroke. The rocker-shaft 1/ receives motion from the ca'm'b through a rocker-arm and transmits the described, the proper motions and times of motion to i he feeder. The feeder, being con- The ' ing the needle downwardi hest'op 1 j determines the lowestposition at which4the point of the flncedlecan arrive without regard to the whole amountof the stroke of thence-- (lle.

nected with the presser, is raised froin the horn with it, as before described, and the length of stitch is regulated by adjusting the distance of the presser from the ne'edle, so that more or lessof the reciprocations of theffe'eder are expended on the inclined, surface of the Presser. When the linksu are so moved as to straighten thefceder and the link 8', like a toggle-joint, the point of the. feeder isforced into the stock by the action'of the, side inclines on the pin t, and flu'ther straightening movement is prevented, the action of w on the feeder rendering the "link 5 and-feeder rigid; Then the feeder moves forward. The feeder operates best by so adjusting the cam bf lengthwise of the shaft 90 that its point comes, on its extreme forward throw,.nnder the axialline of the needle, so that the puncture ofthe' feeder aids'the perforation of,the stock by the needle in its next stroke. taining-stop to restrain the feeder from being moved by any accident beyond its intended forward terminal point of stroke.

Rotation is given to the shaft k by means- 0f 7 a cord, z, which, after being secured to the screw-ibr-ined .guide-drumajfixed on In, and,

being wound round c passes over guide-p111 leys b to the ends of the lever modified b yvlllfiiking the fulcrum of the lever movable, and so asto be checked at a fixed point in, theupward throw of the eccentric,

which gives downward mo elnent to the nee dle, and at variable tpoints in the downward throw ofthe eccentric,- which" gives upward I movement to the needle. The'pin'h", which is the levenfulcrum-is fixed to the bar 2", which is arrangedtOslide-in bearings in d and 51 It is plain. that whe n "the needle isaperforming work, the fa] crum, iffree to move, will recipr'o cate insteadotlthe needle when theeccentricu is rotated. If the'eccentric is on the upward throw, the teri'hination of the downwardstroke of the needle andthe place at which its point will arrive will depend upon the amount of "upward movementallowed to the" fulcrum.

This is regulated by the adjustable stop j; which strikes against the underside 'of plate It will be seen that vthe position .of t

In this mechanism the throwtof the eea centric is greater than the greatestmovement 1 which itis ever intended to impart to' the 1166-;

It is well to arrange a re 6' t disease dle. is desirable to vary the inoveme'nt'bf;

theJneedle, when and" as the stock varies in thickness, audio, do this automaticallyin ac- "cordanee wit operatedon y'the needle. In 'a'chain-stitch sewing mechanism the length of-thread rethree timesfthelength of the" stitch added to' twicethe thickness of the stock, with a slight this it will belseen that theainount which'the v I throw of the needle should bevar'iedto have the thread drawn off by it proporfiionedto the l variations of the thickness of the stock is -dou=- ble either the increase or the diminution of the thicknessof the'stock. As the leverf is" pivoted in thefcenter, any change in the height where this center or fulcrum becomes fixed will be accompanied vwith a'change' twice as, f great in-the niovement'fthe needle.

Onthe bat-i? there isan arm, khadjustable on a", which proj ects over the shoulder 12, formt c which'is up,

ing part of the 'pr esser ban and this shoulder acts as a stop tocheclc downward movement of the fulcrum. The ;hi'gher.,the' shoulder :pf is placed the less will be the lost movement of l the-needle; or,' in other words, the eccentric end of the lever f", 'mo'ving'constantly, would; .im'part its; movement tothe needle if thefulcrum'did not move, and the sooner the move: ment of the fulcrum is stopped the greater will be, the ,in'ovement imparted to the upward; a,

" stroke ofthe needle. -It.will nowbe seenthat as the position of p? is set by'the thickness of I the stock each time the needle operates, the

i. mechanism described to change the throw of; the needle automatically. Asthe needle at the length, ofthethreadfor the stitch passing through the stock atthelplaee where the presser 1 then rests.

' amount 'of tliree times thechange'inthelengthl (Z, preventing further upward movement of ward on the fulcriinnbar'itwhen thestitch is;

the fulcrum and causing the continued upward throw of theeccentric to be expended in 1novlengthened," or inoves it up when shortened, to the amou'nt iql isite. ,When the. stroke of the-needle/is'so'adjusted as to take from the before 'nain'e as requisite'to the formation ofv needle, or rendering/Z as it istei'medi Render'ing through the needle frays the thread and causesit to break, and breakage 'j'romthis the thickness of the stock where qnire d to 'form a stitch is equal to the suin of thickness of the stock operates through'the each upwardstroke pulls from thespool enough; thread, to make the n'ext stitch to be made, and i jasfthe pressersoperates onthestock about the, a distanc'eiof one stitchaheadof the needle it, I ,will appear that; the ,presser, in resting upon the stock,'n1akes provision to correctly adjuslw The lengtliof the'feed', an :conseqhently, the. lengthof the stitches,isfuniiorm, but when *-'changed 'y adjustment of the presser, as be- 'fore'desci'ibed, theamountfof upward gnove- Y finent "of; the needle must be varied to the *spool at eac 'fup's'troketheainoufitofthread.7 1 i a chain-stitch, there will'be'lnoslipping of the thread-in or through'the hook or eye of the cause is' avoided by correctly adjusting thearm k to the length of the stitches, andhy the automatic variation ofthe strokecorre sponding with the requirements of the varying v thicknesses of the material. The spiral spring F operates to balfance theweight of the vibratory parts connected with the needle. 1

As the motions of the presser, and the reasons for said motions, and the causes thereof, and the connection between the movement of the needle and the resser-bar, have all been explained, reference may now be had to the diagrams on Sheet 5. v I I Examination of the solid lines of the diagrams marked f needle and" pressure-foot will show ou-the division-line ,No. 11 the s udden fall of the presser and needle, which is caused by theactiou of the screw n on the apparatus which detaches the presser. The dot ted lines inbothdiagrams referred to includment of the needle, and it 'will now appear, as

a-eonsequeuce of the support 'of the fulcrum of 'the needle-lever on the presser-bar, that the movement of the needle is modified by the action ofthe presser-cam.

The diagram marked whirl shows: the

' whirl h in its position of rest, with the .small thread-hole t on the division-line N 0. 18. The amount and direction of rotation. of thewhirl areshown by the arrow and by the dotted position of t, which ison division-line No. 4,

the inside set of figures indicating the line of rotation of the whirl when laying the thread into the hook of the needle, and the outside 'set the time inwhich the whirl returns to its place of starting and of rest.

In the diagram marked feeder, e isrepresented as upon the frontinclined surface of the presser, where it remains from division No; 15 to N o. 16, when it slides forward on the i said incline and downward, puncturing the stock, which puncture is complete at No. 17, where it rests till No. lohwhcn it moves toward the axial line of the needle, feeding the stock in the direction-of the lower arrow, the feed being accomplished at No. 1.1 l. The feeder rests here from Nos. 11% to 12;, so asto let the prcsscr come down upon the stock to confine .it in position on thehorn, which, when effected, the feeder draws hack to its-position of rest on the inclin'c of the presser-foot, which it reaches at No. 13.5.

In this sewing-mechanism, as in all others 'using the hook or crochet needlc,.it is necessary, in order to form a scam, to prevcntfthe previously-formed loop from catching in thejhook of the needle as this draws up the next loop. This is'efl'ccted by a slide, p, which covers'the hook as' it emerges fromthe stock, the slide resting on the surface of the stock, while the needle passes through it to receive the thread beneath. I The slide is a short tube or nipple surrounding'thc nipple, inserted in a stem or rod a and o rated b' alcver m" which 7 7 .l r v I pivoted to the movable fulcrum h. 'lhestcm n" of the slide is connected toga link, o' 'jn the manner shown by the iiiterpositgui ollagpring,

' I, so that the slide will rest on the surface of the thinnest stock when'the needle perforatcs it, slightly compressing spring I, or onthe surface ofthethickcst stock, in which latter case the spring I is compressed to a greater de ree,

while the lever 7a vibrates with the need elenotches, intoone or the other of which the detent-pin q catches when m is moved relatively to f, said pin-being always in one or the other of said notches, and causing W to vibrate with It is plain that m, being hung on the same fulcrum with f with one end connected there-,

toby ph'md g", must with its other end move the slide as much as'the needle is moved; but as 'thislinovementalone would always keep the eye of the needle when out of the stock either .open or closed, accordingas the parts were first adjusted,'it is necessary to'apply-a means for moving the lever m" relatively to .f" to cover and uncover thehook oreyeof the needle. This is done by connecting the detent-pin q with a pin, 7,- in'e bya'link, a", which is-slotted, so that r" can have some movement in the slot without 1novingm.;. Asthe eccentric rotates, giving itsupward-throw, the pin 1' moves in the slot of thelink till it strikes the upper end of the slot, and, asjin thecontinued rotation of the eccentric, the distance between pins 1 and rwould be decreased, the detent is pushed out-ofthe' lowest notch in the spring p into the upper notch, which moves m relatively to}? and moves the slide on the needle to cover the f hook; and this closing movement is effected about as the eccentric passes the upper center, I

so that the needle isabout at its lowest throw.

)ontinued rotation of the eccentric toward the lower center raises the needleand slide without changing thei r relative relation till, as the distance between and 1- is increased on the approach of the eccentric to the lower center,

r moves in the slot in 0 till it strikes the lower end of the slot, and, said distance still-tending to increase with the wntinucd'rotation of the eccentric, the detent is shifted from the upper notch of the spring. p", changing the relation of m" and f 2 and op'eningthe-needle-eye before the needle begins to descend.

The whirl in" the salient 1nd of the jhoruf' which is entered by the needle at each stroke,

and which carries the thread into the hook ol' the needle, requires to be peculiar] y made to Onthe ecccntricend, of the nee'dlelever a spring, 12, is fixed, which has two retainingalso that the whirl is supported on the ends of withstand the'severe wear brought upon it,

' and so that itninaybe easily removed and replaced by 'another when worn out.

- ,;"Thflijfliibf the construction of the whirl and/of theieiid of-the horn in which it is operanea' snq n fullsize in details on Sheet 6, Wl1' ere'it willfbe seen that thewhirl is made of two parts. Theinner or central part is often struck by the needle,,,which is inad e at least as hard as springtemper'fl the striking being i-ansed ibyglancing of the needle when ittonehes a peg used in lasting or an imperfection infthe leather, and this impingement of the needl Would'soon weal-the central hole so large nder the whirl inoperative by the junction t, the central hole and the small tionbfthewhirlismade of steel and hardened, sothat' impingement of the needle can not 'afiect it; but if thewhirl were made whole, "the teeth 'hy'which it is rotated would also F have to betmadelhard, or else the whole whirl 1 would have to be made soft.

By making the whirl in two parts as described, it will be seen that the inner part may be made very hard, while the teeth on the I oilten part may be left soft or else hardened to I :aless degree than the inside part.

b hen both parts or the whirl are tempered to: the degree requisite, they are united. As the top of the horn isalso liable to he cut and worn by the needle, especiallywvhen the breakage occurs, thisis hardened very hard.- Inspection of the details referred show, that 'the whirl is removable when the hardened -top piece, 2'", of the hornis removed;

its teeth, an d thatit is steadied or guided in its rotation by its contour fitting in the cavity in which it operates. I The flaring form givento the central'hole in the whirl serves to deflect,the needle toward the center when striking the hardened surface of the whirl.

l his-1nachine, when made to move-without I it the introduction of stock and the employment ot'thread, does not operate in all of its parts as it does wheneniployed in sewing. \Vh en employed in sewing, the operation ofthe ma-" chine isns follows: Vhen' the needle is ele-' vated considerabl'y above the horn, but on the downstroke, and premising that-the thread is properly 'd'i awn through the small hole in the whirl to the upper surface oi' the 'lro'rn, leav ing an end of a fewinchc. in length, which is pulled toward the left hand of theoperetor as he stands facing the 'niachin'e, the feeder and presscr are raised by operz'iting r, and the stock or thebootorshoe is placed on the horn,

, so that the needle comes over the spot where it is desired to have the seam, coininencml. By

' operating the lever 'm,the' feeder and presser are lowered, the latter holding the stock on the horn. ,Rotation being then given 'to w in the direction indicated by the arrows shown in the I drawings, the needle approaches the stock,

and thel'eeder; mining-down the incline ol'the thread holed To prevent this the inner perto will;

presser, punctures the stock. The needle eontinue's to inove downwa'rd, going through the stock; but the slide'p is checked and rests on thesurface, the continued movement of the levef which operates the slide being expended in conl n-essing the spring Z. As the needle arrives at its lowestpoi ntof stroke, the whirl j is operated and makes about two-thirds of a rotation around the needle, winding the thread into the hook, and when the needle ascends a littlethe whirl rotates back .to' itsfirstposition. v Just about as the needle completesits downstroke the lever m receives an additional motion byineans before described, which, asthe slide]; frosting on the surface of the stock, is expended in compressing spring 1;

but this motion of m 'has itsei'fect made inanifest by the slide covering the heck of the needle as this emerges 'from the stock in the up stroke. end ot'k upon the shoulder pof thepresserbar, the needlere'ma ining down tillthis'occurs,,being held hythe resistance offered by the thread and friction or theneedle in the stock; but when said endand shoulder ineet; then the needle rises, and near the top of the needle-stroke the" slide I receives its additional and accelerated'movement, which uncovers the eye of the needle; but-as the needle begins to rise, the presser and feeder are both lifte'da just before the needle descends, and before the feeder m'oves iorward, an additional rise is.

given 'to thepresser andfeeder, and thelatter moves to push the work.al'ong, so that the stock ma'y'reeeivethe next perforation of the fiecdle inthe proper place-the distance of one 7 When this feed 11) 'ovemeut is effected, the feeder and press stitch from the last perforation.

erareboth droppedfand as the needle deascends,the-feeder retreats from beneath 'i t, leaving the presser restihgon the stock to hold it H i in position while theif n'eedlejis approaching :the stock, and while-the feeder is rising up on the"in'elineol' 'theipresser-ioot.' The needle,

the middle of the shank.- Assumingfforillus tration, that the stock is so plaeedon the horn to begin the seam on one side' of the middle of the shank, with the point of the horn di- 'rected toward the toe ofjthe stock, the seamprogressesjiy feedingthe stock along thehorn,

making the toe of the stock approach the point of .the horn, the operator directing and hold in}; and perhaps slightly twisting fit thereon, to aecoinnwdate slight curvatures, till arriving at the toe, where, in order to sew eonr' Continued rotation now brings-the :zams o pletely around it, the horn is given bytheop orator a complete hal f-turn. \Vhen across and around the toe. the seam proceeds along the side of the stock opposite to that on which it is con'nnenced, the feed then operating to draw the toe of the stock from the point of thehorn, the point being directed toward the toe not having been changedsince the start; but as soon as the shoe has been fed in this direction so l'arthatthe count-er strikes the upperinclined surface of the horn,.which will generally be when the point of the horn is under some pa rt oft he shank, then the relative cl'iange of the position of the stock and horn is made that was patented tofiordon McKay, herein named, May 6, 1862, in the patent numbered .$5,lti5, the horn being turned while the st oek is kept from turning, so that the point of the. horn is lll'tftfttttl toward the heel ofthe stock instead of toward the toe, aswhen the seam was first started,and as it was continued till this said relative change was made. The relative change of position between the stock and the horn being now made, (which can be etleetedby an expert operator without stopping the sewing,) the seam is formed round the heel to join its beginning in the shank, which is done with a half-turn of the horn with the stock upon it: \Vhen the horn and stock are turned together, the movement is made quick or slow, according asthe angle or curve is sharp or e x to x l t t l a1 1d accordi ngto the speed withwhich the sewing mechanism is operated. When the relative change referred to is made, with a rotating needle and feeder operating in conjunc; t ion with a stationary horn, the sewing has to be stopped, and the needle and parts therewith connected are turned a half-r volution, and the stock is also turned on the item, so that its point is directed toward. the heel instead of toward the toe,or vice versa, according as the seam was first started. If the seam is (Willmenced anywhere else except at about the middle of either side of the shank, the relative. change in the position of the horn and stock to each other has to be twice made in forming a seam completely around the sole.

.i do not claim making the stroke of the closing-slide of the needle automatically vuriable or adjustable by the introduction of a spring between said slide and the partwhich moves it for the purpose of making the slide conform to the various thicknesses of stock presented to be sewed, for a spring operating in conjunction with a crochet-hock closingslide is found in the French patent issued to Messs. Shinunonier and Fer-rand in 1834), and also in sevcra-lothcr patents since said date.

What we claim as the improvement in this invention is 1. So arranging and combining with a sewing mechanism the projecting rotating horn which ineascs and sustains the whirl or looper, anti which supports the stock, that said horn can be rotated with the stock uponcit in reference to the needle and lecderwhen it is de sired to have the seam conform to curves or and also continuing with the rotating project ing horn e, so .as to rotate with it, a tension de-. vice which acts upon the thread, operating substantially as described.

3. Combining a rotary whirl or looper with a rotating horn, so that while the whirl has an intermittent rotary movennrnt with relation to 4 the needle'the horn can be rotated without;- changing the relative r :lation of the whirl and needle to each other, or, in other words, so that rotation of the horn shall not rotate the whirl, though supported by and held in the horn, and so that rotation of the horn shall not affect the intern'iittent rotary movement of the whirl.

4. Combining with. the needle carrier of a sewing mechanism a lever which reciprocates said carrier, and which has its fulcrum so arranged as to he inade movable forthe purpose of changing the throw of the carrier.

The means described :for varying the stroke of the needle to conform to change in the length of the stitch, the same consisting of a stop made adjustable on the fulcrum-bar to vary the distance between said stop and the fulcrum.

I 6. Regulating the amount of the thread drawn. by the needle from the spool, so as to conform to varying thicknesses of stock by autoniatieall y adjusting o rvarying the strokes of the needle by the thickness of the stock at or near the point where the needle is operating, by substantially the means described or any equi 'alcnts thereof.

7. So operating the prcsser-toot as to lift it a fixed amount from the surface of the stock.

no matter what its thickness, to relieve the thread from' pinch between the bed and the under surlaee or the stock while the thread is drawing through the stock, substantially by the means described, or any equivalents therefor. v

is. So combining .the presser-foot with the needle and the parts connected therewith, substantially by the means described, or by any co ui val ents therefor, that the resistance offered to the upward movement of the needle reacts upon the presser to prevent it from being forced upward by the upward strain upon the stock, the prcsser being prevented f rom downward motion, substantially as shown.

9. Combining the lever, which operates the prcsscr, with a movabl c and adjustable fulcrum, so that more or less lift can be given the prcsser by the positive movement imparted by a cam or other equivalent motor. y

it). So combining the closing-slide of the needle and the needle, substantially by the means described, or by any equivalent there- I for; that the strek e df the slideehallbeifif I I v jug through the axial line creased 01: diminished automatically as the strckeef the needle is i nereased 0'1- diminished.

11. '80 emybiningthe clcsing-slide of' the 5 needle with;the"needlg substantially by the means described, for by any equivale tetherenf; that said'slide is so placed as to eover the eyelet book of the needle while emerging from stoek, .and to nicve":withthe'rieedleykeepilgg its' eyeo'n hook =coyel ed 'till at or ear the termination of 'the. upward; stroke of the nee- (lle, when the slide moves relatiyelyto-the needle, uncovering its eye, and then; by moving 1 downward with the needle, keeps its eye, un-' covered till the needle punctures the-stok. V 12. The arrangement of these' iarateinetruf' 1 ments, thev resser and feeder, direct] y in front, bfth'e hook ofthe needle, inpl oxiinitytheieto,

in the plane of the yjbration (if the-feeder and v above the stck to be sewed, so as. .tb operate on the iippr' surfac'thereq cf the yieellle', subs nt a y sc b dl a I 13.; Controlling the'extent of the feeding action of the. feeder by making the. preeser adjustable' toward and from the ,.,needle in the ,planeof the'vibratien cf the feeder; and byconstgueti n'g the Presser with anlimalihed survfaee next the feeder,- subtantia lly as ehown. I 14.11111? eombinatiqn and arrangement of the spring Zfiwith tlreparts connected with the needIe-1ewer,sc as to counterbalance the'yveight .of said parts,v so as to reta in the needldat'its upstrbke ti llth'e check j'floperates'on the plated.

Executed thiefithday of June, 1862. i a HGORDONhMeKAY.

R. HHIVIATHTES.

winiessesfi; 

